Laboratories performing analysis become more and more automated. Different kinds of sample analyzers, such as blood analyzers and slide pushing devices, are integrated in a sample analysis pipeline, which gives accuracy and efficiency in the analysis of a great amount of samples and is widely applied in large hospitals and institutes.
Current sample analysis pipelines usually include a loading platform to store the sample to be analyzed, an unloading platform to store the analyzed samples, and a sample rack conveying apparatus connecting the loading platform with the unloading platform. Current tracks of sample rack conveying apparatuses are usually composed of a number of track modules and a single bridge track switching mechanism connected to the track modules. Each track module includes a number of parallel tracks. Each track module corresponds to a sample analyzer. When a sample rack is transported to an analysis area on an inner track of the track module, the sample analyzer corresponding to the track module can execute an analysis of a sample container (test tube) on the sample rack.
The single bridge track switching mechanism is provided at two ends of the tracks of the sample rack conveying apparatus and between each track module. The single bridge track switching mechanism is usually a section of track movable along a direction perpendicular to the track. A length of the track is slightly longer than that of a row of the sample racks. According to a dispatch instruction, the single bridge track switching mechanism can be joined with the inner track or with the outer track of the track module, such that the sample rack is conveyed to the inner track or to the outer track. Thus, the single bridge track switching mechanism can be considered as a movable bridge between the loading platform and track modules, between every two track modules, and between the track modules and the unloading platform. As each of the tracks of the current sample rack conveying apparatuses are connected via the single bridge track switching mechanism, the outer track and the inner track of sample rack conveying apparatus cannot be connected at the same time, which leads to low efficiency.